Cassolette Scarf

This limited-edition silk scarf reproduces the intricate decoration of an early sixteenth-century Hispano-Moresque cassolette of enameled gold with emeralds and rubies. Hispano-Moresque jewel types as well as motifs persisted not only in Spain but throughout the Mediterranean region. Enameled gold Moorish beads were inventoried in Spain in 1509, and the large, fifteenth-century Moorish beads of thin, pierced gold from the province of Almeria, regained from the Moors by Ferdinand and Isabella in 1489, have been repeated but in slightly modified form in eastern European and Mediterranean regions. Related to these beads is an enameled gold cassolette possibly once itself a bead, its terminal openings capped with table-cut emeralds set in bezels. A similar object, the ouesqa, a rounded cassolette designed to contain scent, indications of which were found in the piece illustrated, strengthens consideration of this cassolette as Hispano-Moresque, though it is similar also to beads in a necklace of Hispano-Moresque type of unknown provenance, the enamels of which have been related to seventeenth century Russian examples. The pitted green, white and deep red enamels of the cassolette, a transparent green enamel and irregularly cut emeralds and rubies are often characteristic of jewels of Hispano-Moresque origin, if nonetheless common as well to more recent provincial jewelry from eastern and Mediterranean Europe.

Inspired by: Hispano-Moresque Cassolette, Enameled gold, with emeralds and rubies, early 16th century